See your health care provider if you think you have an ACL injury. Do not play sports or other activities until you have seen a doctor and been treated.

Your doctor may send you for an MRI of the knee. This can confirm the diagnosis. It may also show other knee injuries.

First aid for an ACL injury may include:

Raising your leg above the level of the heart

Putting ice on the knee

Pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen)

You may need:

Crutches to walk until the swelling and pain get better

Physical therapy to help improve joint motion and leg strength

Surgery to rebuild the ACL

Some people can live and function normally with a torn ACL. However, most people complain that their knee is unstable and may "give out" with physical activity. Unrepaired ACL tears can lead to further knee damage.

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